Book Review: Crush by Eve Ainsworth

Goodreads Synopsis: Love hurts… but should it hurt this much? Reeling from her mum’s sudden departure, Anna finds the comfort she needs in her blossoming relationship with Will. He’s handsome and loving, everything Anna has always dreamt of. He’s also moody and unpredictable, pushing her away from her friends, her music. He wants her to be his and his alone. He wants her to be perfect. Anna’s world is closing in. But threatening everything is a dark secret that not even Will can control…

My Review: I was so excited when Eve Ainsworth’s second book was announced, because Seven Days, her début novel, was absolutely stunning. Upon learning more about it, I was even more eager to read it; I don’t think abusive relationships (that aren’t parental) are talked about enough in YA.

Crush is quite a short read, at under 300 pages, but I do almost wish it was longer! I was really engrossed in the story.

Anna meets Will and falls for him quickly – soon, they’re in an all-encompassing relationship; but Will isn’t really who Anna has thought she’s fallen for. He begins to take over aspects of her life, and Anna realises after everyone else that this isn’t what a relationship should be.

I really liked how Ainsworth takes the time to delve into both main characters’ backstories, in different ways. Each chapter is told from Anna’s perspective, and it’s visible how her life becomes divided between her life with Will and the struggle she has at home, where her family is recovering from her mother’s leaving. Will’s perspective, however, is only seen through the letters he writes, which appear after every chapter or so, and are really haunting. The letters provide a really interesting outlook on Will, and why he acts the way he does.

I really felt for Anna, and the things she goes through are pretty scary – especially because she doesn’t initially realise the emotional manipulation that’s occurring. The story is an incredibly important one to be told, but also very chilling. It’s a very grim reminder of how hard it can be to recognise abuse that isn’t always physical.

Overall, Crush is most definitely worth reading – I feel like it’s going to start a really thought-provoking conversation in the YA community. I’m really glad this book is out there, and I’m sure it chas the potential to really help people in asimilar situations. As before, Eve Ainsworth’s writing is fantastic – I can’t wait to see more from her in the future, as the contemporary fiction she writes is realistic, raw and memorable.

My Rating:

I received a copy of Crush from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

2 thoughts on “Book Review: Crush by Eve Ainsworth”

Ahh I don’t generally read books that deal with gritty topics because I like my books to be of the happier kind but I think this is the kind of book that is essential for people to read, so I’ll be on the lookout for this. Great review!